Lightening Bolts
by KGStutts
Summary: Fictional story based on an alternate timeline. Follow Kristina, a girl living out her dream to become a professional wrestler and her life and loves. (rated M for mild language and violence)
1. Chapter 1: It begins

All my life I have been into wrestling. I can remember growing up in Texas and coming in from summer play to watch Saturday Nights Main Event with my dad and brother. I grew up watching the Von Erich family take on the group of The Freebirds. I was a huge fan of "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Hot Rod" Rowdy Roddy Piper. It wasn't until I was 19 that I decided I wanted to become a professional wrestler. I knew that I would do anything, risk anything, to make my dream come true.

When I graduated high school, I quickly enrolled in a massage therapy program. It was something I had always loved and I really took to it well. I began working at small gym as an on call massage therapist about 10 minutes away from my home. As well as the massage therapist, I was the gym's yoga instructor. I started working out regularly and took up kick boxing, Judo and Jujutsu in my spare time. While working at the gym, I met Kevin.

Kevin Saunders was 6'3 and completely beautiful. He had a great, muscular body and was tan, with bright green eyes, a chiseled chin, and short, spiked blonde hair. He was one of my first regular clients. He would schedule appointments three times a week and after each appointment he would ask me out. Every time, I would tell him that I couldn't date a client. I would watch him from my office while he was working out. I invited my best friend Tamma to my office for lunch one day, partially so she could see who I was talking about. We sat staring out my window watching him lift weights without his shirt on.

"That's the guy who's been asking you out?" she asked, her eyes locked on to Kevin.

"Uh huh." I replied.

We both sat in silence for a moment, watching his muscular arms as he pumped his weights.

"If you don't say yes to him, can I?" she asked, tearing her eyes away from the scene.

"No way, I saw him first." I informed her.

He stopped going to my gym just so I could say yes to him. He was sweet, funny, very charming and my friends and my parents adored him. We had a lot of things in common, including our love for wrestling. He didn't pressure me into sex right away. I was a virgin when we began our relationship and he said he wanted to make sure that I was ready. He didn't seem to mind that it took me eight months to be that ready. He stayed by my side when my mother passed away. He was a rock during that whole time. Tamma kept telling me to not let him get away.

"Someone who looks that good and treats you well? Does he have a brother?" Tamma asked.

I had an offer from one of my mom's brothers to live with him in St. Paul, MN. I was considering it. I needed a break from Charleston too. It was beginning to be too much still living in the house after Mom died. I wanted to start training to be a professional wrestler but I couldn't find a place in Charleston. South Carolina had an athletic commission that caused a lot of promotions to dry up because of the cost. I figured if Minnesota was good enough for Arn Anderson and Ric Flair, it was good enough for me. I was nervous when I told Kevin about my offer from Uncle Jerry but Kevin was great. He told me if that's what I wanted to do, he would go with me. So two days after my 19th birthday, Kevin and I moved to St. Paul, MN. I moved into a spare bedroom at Uncle Jerry's and Kevin moved in with a friend of his not fair from me.

We started training at a school that looked like it should have been a VFW hall. I felt like it was almost too nice to be a training school. I was one of the only females in the class. It didn't bother me. I didn't get along with those girls. They would only work out in the ring with each other. They thought I was weird because I wasn't afraid to train with the guys and I didn't like them because all they seemed to care about was how they looked or screwing the other wrestlers, not about their wrestling skills. I also felt it was weird that it was just a training school. Shows were not being run out of the building or by anyone associated with the school. The trainer was Mark Davis, who seemed to treat me differently because I was a girl. I chalked it up to the girls there at the school not being much of a helping hand and I figured if I showed him I could be like one of the boys, he would let me do more. But Mark wouldn't let me help set up the ring. He didn't treat me like any of the other trainees because I was a woman. I liked Mark but I told him he was sexist. He shrugged, told me that's how the wrestling business is. I knew that I wouldn't be at this training school long. I didn't really feel like I fit in. I got along with everyone but I didn't feel like it was the right place for me.

Kevin was the exact opposite. He seemed to fit in perfectly. Unfortunately, that's when he started to change. When we started dating, I told Kevin that I was straight edge. I don't smoke, don't drink, and don't do drugs. Never have, never will. I have seen too much from my family and I don't want to put my body through that mess. I told him that I didn't care if he did, just don't make it habitual or bring it into our relationship. He promised that he wouldn't.

It wasn't long before Kevin was unable to keep that promise. After training on Sunday nights, Kevin would go out drinking with the guys. That didn't bother me at first until one night he tried to sneak in my window at Uncle Jerry's late at night, drunk, and tried to have sex with me. I refused to have sex with him drunk. That was our first real fight that woke up my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Mary. Uncle Jerry threw him out of the house. Then things started escalating.

Kevin became close friends with a wrestler named Lance Thomas. Lance was a good guy but was on steroids and soon got Kevin on it too. I always thought he was in great shape and was already incredibly muscular but Kevin would laugh at me and tell me if I wanted him to go to the WWE, then I would want this for him and be happy. Not long after the steroids started, I caught Kevin and Lance smoking weed in one of the training rooms. Kevin started to pressure me into getting high with them but I would walk away and waited until he was straight minded again to talk to him. I would talk to Tamma back home who would give me advice to stay strong if I wanted to stay with Kevin.

"It's the first time away from home in a completely new environment. I'm sure he's just experimenting. I would just give him time and he'll come around, back to the same old Kevin that you love. Stay strong." She encouraged.

I could feel our once great connection start to slip away the day I saw him popping pills. He told me his back was killing him and needed the pills to help push through his work out. I became angry with him and asked him to stop. He told me that I was overreacting and that everything would be fine.

We had been training in St. Paul for six months when I decided to find a different school. I didn't feel like being at our current school would get us anywhere. I had seen fliers around St. Paul for a local wrestling show called Steel Domain Wrestling. I went to a show one night alone and afterward spoke with the owner and trainer, a wrestler named Ace Steel. Ace told me that there was a training school which was split between his hometown of Chicago and in St. Paul. Training would be held in both Chicago and in St. Paul during the week and he ran the bi-weekly wrestling show in St. Paul. If he was to train me, I would be expected to be at every training and at the shows. I was to do everything he asked of me during training, including helping with the show and with setting up the ring.

I quickly agreed, it sounded like an amazing opportunity for me. This is what I had been looking for. The moment I met Ace, I knew that I was making the right decision in switching schools. He introduced me to the other trainers, Kevin Quinn and Danny Dominion. I told him about Kevin and a little of our story. Ace asked me how big of a factor Kevin played in my desire to train. I gave him a passionate speech about my love for wrestling and even if I didn't have someone at my side supporting me, I would still be standing there, talking to him. Ace smiled and welcomed me to Steel Domain Wrestling. He told me that I could call him Chris but Kevin could only call him Ace. He gave me information as to when training was to start and to get there early to help set up the ring.

One of the things I liked about Chris was that he wasn't going to treat me differently than any of the other boys. I wasn't going to get special treatment for being a girl and that couldn't have made me happier. I wanted to know every aspect of the wrestling business, even sweeping the floors and trucking in the plywood and steel of the ring, which I wasn't getting at our old school. At 5'1, I didn't have much in height. But I worked out regularly, was very toned and in great shape for my size. I wanted to show Kevin and everyone that I could do pretty much anything that they could do, despite my gender and lack of height. And Chris was going to get me there. He said he could tell my passion and heart for wrestling when we met and was going to put it to the test. I told him to bring it on.

Steel Domain Wrestling looked like an old warehouse, much different from the facilities that Kevin and I were use to. Kevin complained about it but I brushed it off. I couldn't wait to get started. As we pulled up, Ace and a few other guys were standing by the ring truck.

"About time you two, come on!" Chris shouted. I shook hands with everyone and made a quick introduction. Kevin held back at the car.

"There will be more time for that later. Let's get the ring inside before it starts to rain. If my boards get wet, it's your fault, Gause." Chris told me.

I merely nodded and grabbed the ends of two boards as he grabbed the other end. We had just gotten the canvas put on the ring when the rain started. Two guys scurried in minutes later, clothes already soaked from the hard rain.

"Sorry about that, you know Chicago traffic." The tall blonde said.

"Doesn't matter now. Get over here and meet our newest trainees." Chris told them both.

"Okay, I'm Kristina Gause.' I began my introductions. "I'm 19 years old from a small town outside of Charleston, SC. Been training for about six months now, haven't had a match yet. Actually I haven't done that much yet." I admitted.

"Very nice, tell us a little more about yourself." One of the guys encouraged.

"I'm probably the coolest, nerdy-ist person you will ever meet. I love comic books, Star Wars, Star Trek, and really into all kinds of video games. I really love all things Disney and have a collection of Beauty and the Beast water globes. I kick box so anything smart you say about my water globes, you'll probably get a kick upside your head. I also am a yoga master, I practice Judo and Jujutsu, and I'm a massage therapist."

"So basically what you are telling me is that you are the perfect woman." Said one of the guys who came in late.

A few of the guys smiled and chuckled as in agreement. I turned my attention to who spoke to me and the moment my eyes met his, it felt like a bolt of lightening just struck me. The hair on my arms stood on end and electricity coursed through my body. I couldn't help but smile.

"I guess if that's your definition then I'm your girl." I replied.

"MY girl." Kevin said, defensively. Then proceeded to make his introductions, letting it be known that he and I were together and he wouldn't stand of anyone to flirt with "his girl". From behind Kevin's back, I looked over at my bolt of lightening and rolled my eyes. He tried not to laugh.

"Okay, introductions are done. Lets get to work." Chris said, pulling me by the arm and into the ring. "Let's see what you can do."

We trained for two hours before Ace blew his whistle. "Hey Gause!" he called me over to him. "You have really great instincts. You've only been doing this for six months?" I nodded. "Do you have referee gear?" He asked. I nodded again.

"In my bag, I like to be prepared." I informed him. Ace's grin got bigger. "Ref for me tonight." It was a statement, not a question.

"Whatever you need me to do, Ace."

"That's the attitude I like. Go get ready and I'll let you know what the card looks like." "Thanks. What's Kevin going to do?" I had to ask.

Ace thought for a moment. "He can tear tickets at the door." He said with a grin.

Kevin isn't going to like that. I thought. I didn't say anything but hopped out of the ring and grabbed my purple gear bag.

"Purple, huh?" a voice said from behind me.

I turned and it was my lightening bolt guy again. He appeared to be the same height of Kevin but skinner, with noticeable tattoos on his hands and forearms, a lip piercing, and long, badly done bleached blonde hair.

"Most of us just have a black bag. But you have purple." He pointed out.

"Well I like being different." I simply stated. He smirked.

"That you are."

"I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name earlier."

"I'm CM Punk."

I smiled. "Okay we can do ring intros later. I asked what your name is."

He smirked again. "I'm Phil Brooks. Everyone calls me Punk though. It doesn't matter what you call me."

"Nice to meet you, Phil."

"Pleasure is all mine, Kristina."

Kevin came up from behind and put his arms around my shoulders.

"Hey, Punk." Kevin said with almost a growl in his voice.

Phil took a step back. "Hello Kevin." And extended his hand.

Kevin shook Phil's hand, eyes all intense.

"Calm down. He was just saying hi." I told Kevin.

Kevin broke his eyes away from Phil.

"How did you get on the show?" Kevin asked.

"Ace said he needed a referee and I have gear."

"Hmph." Kevin grumbled and walked away. I shook my head.

"He didn't use to be like this." I said, apologetically.

"You don't have to justify anything to me." Phil told me.

"I know. I feel like I have to though."

Just then the other guy who came in late jogged over to us. He was slightly shorter than his friend. He was a little thicker too, with short brown hair and a goofy, contagious grin.

"Hi! I'm Scott Colton but everyone calls me Colt. Ace said you are the ref tonight. I'm first match." I couldn't help but grin at Colt.

"Indeed I am. How may I be of assistance to you?"

The night went great. The show was terrific. I reffed all 8 matches and didn't break a sweat. Ace said that I did wonderful and handed me an envelope with a $20 bill.

"It's not much but more than you were expecting." He said.

"No Ace you don't have to. I'm your trainee, remember?"

"But you were great tonight and none of us were expecting you to be. No offense. But it was your first night in front of a live crowd, never been a ref before and just met us a few hours ago. It's just a little something to say thank you. But don't expect this all the time." Ace told me. I thanked him and took the envelope.

"Say, we're going out after we get changed. It's a little hole in the wall place called the Suds Bucket. Ever heard of it?" I nodded. "Would you and Kevin like to go?"

A bar. Just great. Place for me to show that I don't drink in front of guys I just met and for Kevin to get wasted. But it was my first night in the company and I wanted to seem cool. "Sure."

The Suds Bucket was the closest thing to what passed as a country bar in St. Paul. As part of their initiation, the boys made me get on stage and sing karaoke.

"I'm telling you, you don't want me to do this. I'm not that good." I warned but they still cheered me on. I picked "Put Your Heart in to it." by Sherrie Austin. The crowd was really into it and I got to perform and play up the song a bit.

Kevin was really into it to until the line. "You've got my attention, baby." when I sat on Phil's lap for a moment. After the song, the boys demanded another one.

"I think this song can represent us in wrestling a little bit." I explained, introducing my next song choice.

I sang "Mi Vida Loca." by Pam Tillis. Again Kevin glared when I ran my fingers across Phil's long, bleached blonde hair with the line "I see your tattoos."

Instead of talking to me, Kevin ditched me at the bar after the songs. I sat at a table with Phil, Colt, and Ace and peeled the label off of my bottle of water.

"So what's bothering you, kid? Him?" Ace asked, nodding his head towards Kevin.

I let out an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah I guess." I responded.

"So is something bothering you or do you always shred the labels of innocent water bottles?" Ace asked again.

"I was singing and having some fun and it upset him. So instead of telling me he has a problem or talking to me like a mature adult, he opens a bottle of beer." I explained.

"If that's what he wants to do, don't let it ruin your good time. Relax." Colt said.

I had to smile at him.

"You know, you're right. Screw him if he's being an ass." I said.

Kevin turned back around to stare at me for a moment. I knew he couldn't have heard us from the distance. I knew he was checking up on me. I gave him a little wave and smiled politely. As soon as he turned back around, I gave him a middle finger. The guys didn't say anything, merely chuckled. The bartender walked over to the table and presents me with a beer a few minutes later.

"Compliments from the guy at the end of the bar." The bartender explained. I looked over and there was a guy at the end of the bar, smiling at me and waving.

"Can you please tell him no thank you but I appreciate it." I said politely.

The bartender looked confused but walked away. A few minutes later the same guy from the end of the bar walks over.

"Hey pretty lady, that was meant for you." He explained to me. I sighed.

Here we go, in front of my new friends. "I said I appreciate it but no thank you." I once again tried to be polite.

The guy began to look a little irritated. "Come on pretty lady don't be like that. Now have a beer with me."

"I said no." I said sternly.

"What's wrong, little lady? What you think you're better than me? Is my beer not good enough for you?" The guy demanded to know.

Phil and Colt stood up, ready to defend me. I raised my hand at both mens chest, telling them I got this.

"Look dude it's nothing personal against you. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't do drugs. I never have, I never will. I'm straight edge. And if turning down your beer means that, then yes, I am better than you." I said, sitting back down.

Everyone around us began to clap. The guy's mouth was wide open, couldn't believe what he just heard. Slowly he turned to go back to the bar, signaling to order another beer.

"That. Was. Amazing." Ace stammered. I blushed. "I'm not sure where that came from. I'm sorry." I said apologetically.

"Don't apologize! That was great!" Colt said, elatedly. Phil was smirking again.

"What?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"I may have to steal that I'm better than you line." Phil stated.

Colt leaned in and whispered, "He's straight edge too."

Of course he is, I thought. Phil looked at me again and shook his head.

"Perfect woman." Was all he said.

Back at the bar, Kevin was in a drunken stupor and fell off the bar stool.

"Guess that's my cue." I said to the guys, standing up then said my goodbyes.

I walked over to where Kevin fell and attempted to pick him up. Colt was on the opposite side of Kevin, assisting me. I opened my mouth to say something but he shook his head. Once we had Kevin on his feet, I slung Kevin's left arm over my shoulders as Colt grabbed the right arm and we dragged Kevin out of the bar. Colt helped me put an unconscious Kevin in the passenger seat of my car.

"You're going to need help with him. We'll follow." Colt said.

I didn't feel like arguing. This wasn't the first time that I have had to drag Kevin into his apartment while he was out of it and it was never easy. I was grateful that he didn't seem to mind. Colt and Phil walked up to the car at the apartment building.

"I got this. Just unlock the door." Phil said, flanking to my side.

Phil and Colt laid Kevin down on his side in his bed.

"I'm sorry for this, guys. Thanks for the help." I told them.

"Don't worry about it. We take care of our own." Colt said.

"You're one of us now." Phil told me with a wink.

My stomach flip flopped. I had to resist the impulse to bite my lip. Instead, I changed the conversation.

"It's a six hour drive from here to Chicago and it's late. Are ya'll okay to drive?" I asked standing beside our cars.

"Ya'll. You're so Southern it's cute. Yeah we will be okay." Colt told me.

I nodded. Phil slipped something in my hand.

"See you Saturday." He said.

I didn't have to look at the piece of paper to know what it was. I nodded. I gave Colt a hug bye and hesitated slightly before stepping to Phil. I wasn't sure why I hesitated the way I did. Phil pulled his arms around my waist, hugging me tight. I closed my eyes reflexively, breathing him in a little.

"You smell like cherry blossoms." He whispered softly then he looked slightly embarrassed.

"See you Saturday." I told them both, pretending I didn't hear him.

I bolted home and called Tamma.

"It's three o'clock in the morning, Kat. This better be good." Tamma said, groggily. I quickly began spilling the whole story out. There is a long silence to the point I thought she fell asleep.

"Wow." She finally said.

"Right! I'm sorry to call so late but I had to talk to someone and you're my best friend."

"No I understand. What do you think this means?"

"I was hoping you would tell me."

"I have no clue. Be careful, Kat." She told me before we hung up.

I unfolded the piece of paper that had both Phil's and Colt's number. I called Phil first thing Sunday morning after I woke up.

"Is it too early?" I asked, without saying hello.

Phil chuckled. "I was hoping it would be you. No, it's not too early. I don't really sleep much. What's up?"

"I just wanted to thank you and Colt for your help last night. That's not the first impression that Kevin wanted to leave I'm sure."

"I wouldn't worry about Kevin's first impression with us. You're welcome."

We proceeded to talk for three hours on the phone. First, it began with me telling him my story of moving from Charleston with Kevin and then started telling him more of our relationship, how it use to be and how it has changed over the last few months. He started telling me about his family, which he didn't go into a lot of detail.

"I only have one sibling, an older brother. Wayne is six years older than me and we weren't close growing up. We've been better about it now but we use to not talk much. I always wanted a sister. Closest I have is my best friend, Tamma. We've been close since I was a sophomore in high school. What about you?"

There was a long pause before he answered.

"It's complicated." he finally replied.

By the way he spoke, I could tell it wasn't a conversation he wanted to have. I asked Colt about it a little while later and he told me that Phil had a brother, Mike, but the two haven't spoken in a while due to a fight they had. I tried to press Colt for further information but he simply said it was a matter between the two brothers and I dropped it.

We talked about being straight edge. He told me about his dad being an alcoholic and I told him about my dad's brothers and sister all either being on drugs or on alcohol at any given point in the day. We talked about comic books and Star Wars until Kevin beeped in.

A little later on, I called Colt. Once again I thanked him for helping me with Kevin. We proceeded to talk for two hours. He said that I made a great impression on Ace and everyone else and that I would be a great fit with the wrestlers.

"Kevin we're not too sure about. We're giving him a chance because we all like you. But you're our friend now. And his reactions last night are not going to go over well with the rest of us." Colt informed me.

"Again, I'm really sorry about that. He didn't use to be this way."

"Yeah, that's what Punk said too." He told me.

I was silent for a few moments.

"You two really hit it off." Colt said, changing the subject.

"Yeah I think that's what set Kevin off." I said, not really ready to talk about Phil yet with Colt.

"Hey, that guy can't tell you who you can or can't be friends with. I wouldn't worry about him. These things have a way of resolving itself."

I had to smile. Colt was so easy to talk to.

"Kevin called me." Tamma told me one night on the phone, weeks later.

"Oh yeah? About what?" I inquired.

"I think you know about what. Or about whom." She corrected.

"I tried telling him that Phil and I are just friends."

"Just friends that are attracted to each other."

"Did Kevin tell you that?" I asked.

"Kat, I've known you for how long? You can't fool me. Kevin may have mentioned something but he didn't have to. I know you to well."

I sighed. She had me there.

"Walk me through this because I'm not there, I don't know these things. But what is it about this guy?" Tamma asked me.

"It's a lot of little things I guess. And a lot of big things. It's weird, it's like we have nothing in common but we have so much in common. It's in the way he makes me laugh, the way he makes me feel when he's around. He has a way of looking at me that makes me feel like I was just struck by lightning. It makes the hair on my arms stand on end. He's sarcastic. He can be mean. Phil will tell anyone to go fuck off. He doesn't like many people but if you're someone that he likes, he's a great guy. He knows what he wants in life. He's passionate and determined. He doesn't give in to life's pressures. He's real." I explained.

"And Kevin isn't real anymore?" she asked.

"Kevin will put up a front, act the way he thinks people want him to act. It's hard to know who you're talking to at times. Phil is unapologetically Phil. He'll talk to you the same way he would talk to my father. You know what you are getting with him. And yeah, I like that."

"What are you saying about you and Kevin then?" Tamma asked.

"I'm not sure that one particularly has to do with the other. Phil and I are friends. Yes, there is a level of attraction there but we are friends. I love Kevin. And he needs me right now." I told her.

Tamma made what sounded like a snort through her nostrils.

"I know, I know I get it. But trust me, I'm not going to do anything with Phil while I am with Kevin and right now, I want to be with Kevin. He needs me." I reiterated again.

"Kevin's my friend too. I know things haven't been easy between the two of you since you started in Ace's camp. And that's not your fault. He's not the same, KK. The drug usage is getting out of hand."

"It's not to that point yet. I can save him, Tamma."

"And what if he doesn't want to be saved? What if there is no saving him?"

"No I don't believe that. I believe he can be saved."

"Is that why you're still with him?"

"Well, not completely..." I admitted.

"Kat, be careful."

I made quite a few friends in and out of wrestling. Maintaining a friendship with someone who wasn't involved with wrestling when you are so deep involved isn't always the easiest thing to do. Most of the time they don't understand why you do what you do. But I had gotten a job at a day spa in St. Paul and got to be real close with another massage therapist named Darla. I was one of her bridesmaids as she married the love of her life, Daniel. Not long after they got married, they tried having children but had no luck. Darla found out that she had what the doctor's called "a hostile uterus" that it would be incredibly difficult to get pregnant but it was possible. But the doctor warned that she may not be able to carry to full term, even if she was to get pregnant. They decided to harvest her eggs so that they could have a baby of their own and get someone to carry it for her. She cried in my arms as she began telling me what she would have to go through to harvest the eggs. I told her no matter where I was in life, if she needed someone to carry her child that I would.

Working at the day spa was fantastic. I got to set my own hours so it didn't interfere with wrestling. I was doing what I loved and got medical benefits. As soon as I was cleared by my doctor, I had corrective eye surgery. Kevin was supposed to pick me up after my surgery but to my surprise, Phil was the one in the waiting room.

"Your Uncle Jerry called me. Kevin couldn't make it and no one else in your household would get off work in time." Phil informed me.

I was too out of it to ask how Uncle Jerry knew to call him or to ask if he drove from Chicago just to pick me up from the doctor's office. Phil helped me to bed and I slept for 15 hours. I groaned, gently rubbing my face and opening my eyes. To my surprise, there was a pair of brown eyes staring at me from the foot of my bed.

"Good afternoon, beautiful." Phil greeted.

"You stayed?" I asked Phil. He shrugged then smiled.

It was like I was seeing him for the first time. His goatee was coming in well, framing his jaw line and mouth. When he smiled, the corner of his mouth where he had his lip piercing twitched a little. His brown eyes were soft and gentle, almost dancing as he looked into mine. My stomach seemed to dance in rhythm. I could feel the electricity I had described to Tamma coursing through my veins.

"I figured you may need someone when you woke up. Are you okay?"

"I think so. It's weird. Good weird but it's weird. I'm adjusting." I informed him.

Phil told me that he had exchanged numbers with Uncle Jerry one night when he had stopped over on the way to training. He had been in town helping Chris promote the next SDW show when Uncle Jerry had called him. Apparently Kevin had gotten drunk wasn't able to get me. When I was starting to come out of the surgery and no one was in the waiting room for me, the nurse called Uncle Jerry, who was the emergency contact number. He then called Phil.

Phil had just finished explaining when Kevin burst into my room. Phil jumped up from the bed instantly.

"Baby, I'm so sorry." Kevin rushed over to me, ignoring Phil. He put his hands on my face and kissed me.

"Did everything go okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "It went very well. I can see!" I told him, excitedly.

Kevin hugged me tightly to him. My eyes met Phil who merely nodded once then quietly left my room.

Phil and I would talk on the phone every night for hours at a time. We would get in these intense deep conversations about life, wrestling, what we were both passionate about. Afterward, I would call Colt or Tamma. Colt quickly became my best friend. There was something more in Phil's and my friendship, no matter how much we tried to ignore it. It was unspoken between us and our friends. Kevin became jealous. I would tell Kevin that there wasn't anything going on, which was the truth. But the energy and the connection between Phil and me couldn't be denied, it was too palpable. I knew I was falling for Phil but I tried to ignore it due to wanting to make things work with Kevin. It didn't help that I was being referred to as "Punk's girl" amongst the boys.


	2. Chapter 2: The more things change

Phil, Colt, and I were sitting in the ring after practice one Wednesday afternoon. Phil sat cross legged in the ring, topless. I began peering over at him.

"See something you like?" He teased.

I ignored the tease, picking up his right arm. "I'm studying your tattoos." I informed him. He chuckled. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"How many do you have?" I asked.

"I don't know, around 25 or so I guess." He told me.

"I don't have any but I think tats are interesting." I said, rotating his arm.

"Yeah I'm going to stop you now before this leads to trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" I asked innocently.

Phil smiled and replied honestly. "The type of trouble I don't want with a jealous boyfriend on the loose, Krissy."

I smiled at him playfully. "As I'm sure you remember, I was born over in Germany due to my parents being in the Air Force. A lot of people think that's why my name is spelled with a K instead of a Ch. But honestly, Mom didn't want anyone to call me Krissy. It annoyed her. She didn't really like people calling me Kris. She really hated it when people in high school started calling me Kat. Tamma still does to this day."

"So you don't want me to call you Krissy."

"No, I said Mom hated it. I don't. P, I think you're the only one that can get away with calling me Krissy." I told him.

"So your mom probably would have hated us." Colt said.

"Oh yeah but I wouldn't take that personally. I love my mom and losing her caused a big hole that will never be filled…but she didn't really like many people."

"Sounds like I would have had more in common with her than you realized." Phil joked.

I laughed and the conversation stopped for a moment as thoughts of my mom crept up.

"You were talking about me being the only one that could call you Krissy." Phil began, breaking my thoughts. I nodded.

"I think you're the only one that can call me P."

"You don't like it?" I asked.

"Doesn't bother me when you do. It kind of makes me smile when you do. But my family calls me Phil and everyone in wrestling calls me Punk. Even Colt, who I have been best friends with for many years, calls me Punk. But when you say it, it doesn't sound right. I like hearing you call my given name. Or P. I like that too." He told me with a smile.

We were talking and cutting up when I poked Phil in his stomach. He jumped away from me quickly in response.

"Oooh, is the great CM Punk ticklish?" I teased, poking him again.

"Stop!" Phil cried out, trying to block my hands.

"How can you have so many tattoos and be ticklish?" I asked, poking him again.

Through his laughs, he said "If you notice, I only have one on my stomach. Krissy, don't do that. I'm serious." He jumped again, trying not to laugh.

I gave him a seated cross body, almost knocking Colt over in the process. Phil started to tickle me back, rolling me onto my back. We were laughing and giggling until he trapped my hands in his. We stopped rolling around and laid on our sides for a moment, just looking in each other's eyes. My stomach flipped again. I couldn't hide my feelings in that moment. I bit my lip.

"Don't do that. When you bite your lip at me, it's hard to just be your friend. And I've been trying real hard to be just that." Phil told me. He released one of my hands and brushed a stray hair from my face.

I forgot everything at that moment. All I could see was his eyes burning into mine. Reflexively, I bit my lip again. Phil closed his eyes in response, breaking the moment and released my hands. I sat up, my face turning a bit red from embarrassment. Colt sat with his back to us, as if giving us privacy.

"You're going to be the death of me. I'm trying to be your friend and be respectful of your relationship but you're not making it easy for me." Phil told me.

"I'm sorry." I said, shaking my head. I excused myself from the ring.

Phil wouldn't let go what happened.

"You're one of my best friends but I want so much more than that. It's hard for me because the more I know you, the more I want you. The closer I get to you, the harder it is to just stand next to you. You move me, Krissy. You move me in a way no other woman ever has." He told me, leaning against the doorway to the locker room. I was shoving my gear in my purple bag.

I sat in silence, afraid if I were to speak everything that I had fought so hard for would become unraveled.

"Tell me you don't want to be with me. Tell me you love him and don't want what I know you feel between us. Tell me this thing between us is all in my head. Tell me honestly; make me believe it and I'll drop this. "

"I can't." I whispered.

"Why are you fighting this?" he asked. I shook my head, refusing to answer.

"Kristina." He called my name. I sighed, and then I finally met his eyes.

"I'm not ready for us." I finally admitted.

"Someone's been a bad girl." Was the first thing out of Tamma's mouth when she called me later.

"How did…what?" I stammered.

"What, what? Yes I talked to Colt. He's a great guy. Glad you have a friend like him up there. I worry about you, Kat. He keeps tabs on you for me. He tells me things that you don't."

"Such as?" I prodded her.

"Such as you and Punk both have been falling in love with each other for months but neither of you have said anything about it. And I'm going to stop you before you protest. I know you, Kat. I can hear it in your voice when you talk about him. Try to help me out here. If you feel something for this guy, why are you with Kevin?"

"Wow that's a loaded question." I said.

"Come on, Kat. Be honest with me and with yourself."

"Okay I have already admitted to the attraction between Phil and me. As I told him, I'm not ready for there to be a him and me right now. Right now I can only be his friend. I still want things to work out between Kevin and me."

"Back up. I missed something here. You told Punk what exactly?"

Right. Phil and I were alone in the locker room. Colt missed that part of the conversation. So I proceeded to fill the blanks in for her.

"You're walking a dangerous line. I support your decision to make things work with Kevin but not if it's at the expense of your happiness. Promise me you are doing the right thing for you and not someone else?"

"I am." I promised but my voice shook a little.

I called up Colt right after that.

"You little tattletale." I said as soon as he answered.

"I'm in trouble."

"Yes you are. What gives you telling Tamma on me? What gives with you telling Tamma anything? How did you get her number?"

"Well you talk about her a lot and I felt like I should be friends with your best friend since we're best friends and you left your phone sitting in a chair one day at practice…" Colt rambled.

"You went through my phone?"

"Only to get her number, I swear. I didn't look at any texts or pictures."

"Scotty, I would have given you the number if you had asked. Don't go through my phone, okay?"

"Okay I'm sorry."

Kevin started to make an attempt at making things right between us right after that. I'm not sure if someone told him what happened or if something had finally clicked in his head. I no longer smelled the stink of weed around him and he was drinking a lot less than he was. He decided to make a big show of affection one night after a show. We were back at the Suds Bucket, a lot of the guys taking turns singing karaoke.

"This is dedicated to my amazing girlfriend. I'm sorry I have been such an ass. So this is her favorite song by her favorite band. Forgive me for my terrible singing but this is for you, baby. I love you." Kevin sweetly told the crowd to a chorus of aww's by some of the girls in attendance.

Then Kevin proceeded to sing Firehouse's "Love of a Lifetime." I tried real hard to not bury my head in my hands. It was hard to keep a straight face with Kevin starring at me, singing that song. I smiled politely at him, deciding to instead appreciate the gesture. After the song there was polite clapping and he walked over to my table.

"That was great, honey. Thank you." I said, kissing him.

Phil walked up beside Kevin.

"Favorite song by her favorite band?" Phil asked.

"Yep." Kevin stated proudly

Phil grinned, sucking his bottom lip in for a moment as if deciding to say something that was clearly on his mind.

"Her favorite song is "Everything" and her favorite band is Lifehouse, you dumbass." Phil informed him.

Kevin's jaw dropped. He turned to me, as in asking for confirmation. "Well he is right." I told Kevin. "But I use to have Firehouse on the jukebox in Charleston." I tried to offer as a consolation.

"So…I did good?" Kevin asked. I laughed and kissed his cheek.

"Kevin did great." Then I gave him a hug, glaring at Phil.

"You don't have to be such an ass to him." I told Phil a little while later.

"I can't help it. He makes it too easy." Phil said.

"Hey, do me a favor here, okay? If I'm going to go to bat for you to keep peace between the two of you, lay off, alright? It makes it easier for me." I explained.

"Anything you want." He told me.

Colt and Phil were hanging out with me one random day in St. Paul. We were teasing each other back and forth while we sat on my couch watching a DVD set from World Class Championship Wrestling.

"See this is why everyone loves you. You're cool as shit." Colt told me, slapping me in my shoulder.

"You're one of the boys. You're fun to hang around with and you know wrestling inside and out. I'm telling you, if it wasn't for Kevin you would be beating wrestlers off with a stick." Phil informed me.

"Yeah right. Yes I am one of the boys but that doesn't mean anyone would want to date me."

"I disagree. You're funny, you're cool as shit, you love wrestling, and if you don't mind me saying so, you're beautiful." Phil told me.

"You're a fucking liar." I said, hitting him with a couch pillow.

"No, I'm serious. I think you are incredibly beautiful."

"This is coming from a guy who dates models." I leaned over and told Colt who smirked.

"You don't see yourself the way I see you. You look beautiful wearing jeans and a t-shirt with your hat on backwards. And I don't think I've ever seen you wear makeup. You're all natural. I don't know many who can pull that off. I think you are absolutely one of the prettiest girls I have ever met."

"Well, thank you. Even if I think you're a damned liar."

I finally got Tamma to agree to come and spend a week with me in St. Paul. We spent most of the week hanging out just the two of us. Sometimes Kevin would hang with us too. Even though we talked on the phone just about every day, it was great really catching up with her. She teased me about hiding her away from my new friends so I decided to invite Colt and Phil over for dinner the night before she went back home.

"Mmmm Chinese." I said, taking the containers out of the brown paper bag.

"Shrimp fried rice for you." Tamma said, handing the container to Phil.

"Pork fried rice." she said, handing the box to Colt.

"Pork on a Sunday? Bad Jew." I teased.

Colt grabbed a fry out of the bag and threw it at me in response.

"Chicken and broccoli for you." she handed me my dinner.

"Oooh yes, thank you."

"And there is egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken for us to split." Tamma told us as she grabbed her food.

"I'm surprised that Kevin isn't here." Phil stated.

I shrugged. "He was invited but I guess he had something else to do."

"I'm also surprised that he's not here. Figured he would want to spend time with me before I went home." Tamma said.

I shrugged. "That's just how he is nowadays. He comes and goes. I wouldn't take it personally."

"What's with that tone?" Tamma asked.

"It's just getting to me. I'm trying hard to let it roll off my back but it's not working. You've seen him, seems like the more I try the worse he gets. Nothing I've tried is helping this situation at all. I've even tried holding back sex and that only worked for like a week."

Phil almost choked on an egg roll.

"I'm sorry, what?"

I stayed silent, eating my broccoli.

"No we're all friends here." Phil said, ignoring the snorting sound from Tamma.

"Yeah you can't just say something like that and not elaborate." Colt coaxed.

"What? Oh we're not really going to talk about this, are we?" I asked, trying to shield my discomfort.

"Yes we are." both boys said at the same time. I sighed, slumping back in my chair.

"Alright fine. I told him that as long as he was under some kind of influence, I wouldn't have sex with him. And for a week, he was fine. Then I guess he decided that he would rather get high than sleep with me."

"So when was the last time?" Colt asked.

"I'm really not comfortable with this." I tried to back out but they wouldn't let me.

"You opened the can, Kat." Tamma told me.

I clicked the roof of my mouth, thinking. "When did we start at Ace's?"

"It's been six months." Tamma told me. I turned to my attention to her, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I can tell." Tamma said.

I glared at her.

"What, we've been best friends since you were a sophomore in high school. You were a virgin until you met Kevin. Yes, I can tell that you haven't gotten any in a while."

"Oh too much information." I said, throwing another fry at her.

"Don't waste food." Colt said, snatching the fry from in front of Tamma. She gave him a disgusted look.

"I'm going to get you for this later." I told her.

"For what?" she tried to keep an innocently.

"You were a virgin when you met Kevin?" Phil asked.

"For that." I glared at her then I turned my attention to Phil's inquisitive eyes.

"Yes I was a virgin. I graduated high school in May at age of 17. I started college shortly thereafter. I went from college straight to work where I met Kevin." I informed him.

"That's so weird." Colt said.

"That was never a big deal for me. I wasn't ready for that during school. I made Kevin wait a while before I was ready with him. He was very sweet and understanding with me. I never had any interest in just jumping into bed with someone. I'm not one that has to be in love but I do think you need trust and passion. I wanted to feel so passionate about someone that that could be the only way to express myself. I still want that." I said the last part quietly.

"I'm sorry." Tamma said, placing her hand over mine.

"Yeah, me too." I admitted.

The next day I took Tamma back to the airport. I hugged her bye, promising to make it home soon.

"You'd better. Oh, and remember when I asked you what it was about Punk that you liked so much?" She asked.

"Yeah, I do."

"I still don't see it."

I laughed and hugged her again.

"See you soon." I told her.

"I hope so." She said then she boarded her plane.

"We've got to talk." I heard a voice as I was in the shower after working a wrestling show. I slammed against the wall of the shower, shrieking in surprise.

"This isn't a good time, buddy." I called to Colt over the shower curtain.

"You've got to get her up here more. Or get her to move here. Better yet, both of you need to move to Chicago." Colt rambled, ignoring what I had just said.

I turned the water off and reached for my towel. I quickly dried myself off and slipped on my bath robe.

"I really think this could have waited until later, Scott." I told him, wrapping my hair up in a towel.

"Tamma's great. I really like her. And we talk all the time…" I sat next to him on the gym bench and patted his knee.

"I know, buddy. I'll work on that for you." I promised.

I decided to take matters into my own hands about Kevin later that week. We had gone to a bar after a show in St. Paul. Kevin kissed my cheek and headed toward the bar. Not this time. I thought. I was determined to put some of the passion back in our relationship. I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to me slightly.

"Stay with me. Hang out with me." I said sweetly, gently rubbing the tip of my finger along the backside of his hand.

Kevin smiled big at me and put his arms around my shoulders.  
"Can I get you something to drink?" He offered.

"Cherry Pepsi?" I suggested.

Kevin winked at me and headed towards the bar. He came back with two Pepsi's in his hand, one with cherries filling the top of the glass.

"They didn't have cherry Pepsi so I hope this would do." he said, handing me the glass.

"Thank you." I picked up a cherry by its stem and put it in my mouth.

"Damn, baby, don't do that. I'll have to take you home right now." Kevin said, kissing me.

I placed my hand on his chest, feeling his muscles through his tight shirt, giggling slightly.

"Not just yet. Let's enjoy this for a little bit. Want to play darts or pinball?" I asked.

"This is a tease. You're teasing me right now." he said, gently touching my face.

"Do you have a problem with that?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Not at all." Kevin told me, grinning.

It kind of felt like the date we had before our first time together. Little touches, playful teases, long looks at each other. Phil and I were playing on side by side pinball machines when Kevin came up from behind me, placing his hands over mine. He began nuzzling and kissing my neck.

"Stop it." I giggled slightly. "You're distracting me."

"Do you really want me to stop?" Kevin asked, putting his arm around my waist and pressed his body closer to mine. He began nibbling on my ear.

"I'm out of here." I could hear Phil say disgustedly but I wasn't paying attention.

I stopped caring about the game. I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck. Kevin lifted me up and sat me down on top of the pinball machine. I rubbed my hands across his chest as we made out.

"Let's get out of here." I whispered into his mouth.

"About time." He said in almost a growl, swinging me off the machine.

We raced home so fast that I thought we were going to be pulled over by the police. His place was closer than my uncle's and I was so thankful for that. We were rushing taking off each other's clothes that a few buttons flew off my shirt. I didn't care. Afterward, we laid in bed with our arms wrapped around each other. It felt so good to be back in his arms.

"I've missed this." I admitted to him.

"Me too, babe." Kevin kissed my forehead, the corner of my eye, my cheek, and then my lips.

A little while later, Kevin's roommate was yelling about the string of clothes that began from the front door to his bedroom door. I giggled in Kevin's arms as I could hear my shoes clang against the door. We spent the next day hardly leaving the bed, just exploring each other, rediscovering each other's bodies. I finally went home and crashed for a few hours.

Things were great with Kevin after that for a few weeks. He was taking wrestling a lot more seriously and we were enjoying being around each other. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, except for Phil, who seemed to be grumpier than usual. Kevin and I hosted a dinner over at his apartment, which wasn't easy considering it seemed like everyone was on a different kind of diet. But thankfully we found something that everyone could agree on. Shrimp jambalaya. I had music playing in the kitchen while the guys played poker on the kitchen table. I was singing along with the music and dancing a little as I mixed the spices. Kevin folded his hand and joined me in the kitchen and started to dance with me. I was too busy having fun, dancing and laughing, to hear Phil slam the door shut as he got up and left. Everything seemed to be going great until Kevin asked me to move in with him.

"I'm sorry, you say what now?" I asked.

"I know you heard me. Move in with me."

I didn't know how to answer him without hurting his feelings.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea right now."

"Why not? Everything has been going great!" Kevin inquired.

"Kev, it's been going great for a few weeks. Moving in is a huge step. I want to make sure we're ready for that and right now I'm not sure of that."

"Oh, so you're not sure about us." Kevin's tone changed.

"Don't twist my words around. That's not what I said. I said that we're not ready for a big step." I told him.

"No, you said that it's only been great for the last few weeks. You expect it to change. Is that it? Are you waiting for the other shoe to drop?"

"Kev, it's not like that at all." I tried to explain.

"Oh here we go again. Kristina's greatest hits. Track one._ It's not like that._ So what exactly is it like then?"

"I don't want things to change. And I'm afraid that moving in will change things."

Kevin scoffed.

"You trying to not change things just changed things for us." Kevin told me as he walked away.


	3. Chapter 3: Breaking up with Kevin

The fighting between Kevin and me grew worse. I couldn't talk to him after we had the fight about moving in. Kevin seemed to grow more volatile every day. He would have loud outbursts of anger and at one point, punched a wall in aggression.

"I'm worried about you." Colt called me one night.

"I can handle it." I told him.

"And if you can't?"

There was a long pause. I didn't respond to his question, only reiterated what I had previously said.

"Don't do that. Don't try to stick up for him. I saw the fear in your face when he punched the wall. What if that had been your face?"

"It wasn't. It won't be." I assured him.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can't but you need to trust me here."

"I do. I don't trust that guy."

"Scotty, you're in big brother mode right now. It's kind of adorable but it's not necessary." I assured him once again.

I wish I had been right about that. Two days later, Kevin and I got into another argument over the amount of time I spend with Phil. I told him again that Phil was one of my best friends. I countered that he didn't seem to care about as much time as I spent with Colt or Chris. Kevin yelled at neither of the other two were trying to sleep with me. I told him how preposterous he sounded.

"I know what I see between you two." Kevin growled.

"See what between us?"

"Don't act innocent with me. I know you two have feelings for each other. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that you're sleeping with him behind my back."

"Are you kidding me? If I was having sex with Phil, then why am I here right now?" I challenged.

"That's a good question! Why are you still here?"

"Because I love you and I want this to work!"

"You don't love me! You're trying to bide your time to escape from me. If that's what you want, then go!"

"Kevin, just stop. Please, you're acting insane." I pleaded with him.

Kevin walked over to his fridge and grabbed a beer.

"I think booze is the last thing you need right now. Calm down, sit on the couch with me. Let's discuss this like rational people."

Kevin stopped for a moment, his eyes blazing with fire that grew hotter as he looked at me.

"You stand there and act like you are better than me. Do you think that you're better than me? Is that it?"

Kevin put the bottle on the table down and backhanded me across my face. The force of the hit made my knees buckle slightly. My hand flew to the side of my face as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Oh my God. Kristina, I am so sorry." Kevin took a step towards me but I backed up.

I could feel my cheek and my left eye begin to swell. I looked at him in fear and in shock. Without saying a word, I grabbed my car keys and ran out. I could hear the sound of glass shatter against the door just as I closed it behind me.

I ran into Uncle Jerry's house without saying a word. I grabbed an ice pack from the freezer then retreated to my room. I covered my left eye as I sent a text to Ace, letting him know I wasn't going to training.

I sat on the floor in my room, in the dark, letting the tears stream freely down my face. I ignored the knock on my door but wasn't surprised that the door opened anyway.

"Krissy?" I heard Phil's voice call from the other side of the room.

"Krissy, are you in here? Ace said you weren't going to training. I wanted to check on you."

Phil's voice grew closer to where I was.

"What did that bastard do to you?" Phil asked, kneeling down beside me.

He turned the light on in my room, making me squint as I adjusted to it. Phil took my hand and ice bag away from my face and tilted my face towards him.

"I'm going to kill him." Phil told me, standing up.

"No!" I cried out, reaching for his hand.

"You're hiding behind your bed with a black eye. What else am I supposed to do?"

"Stay with me." I suggested, tugging on his hand.

Phil kneeled down beside me again, putting his tattooed hands on the side of my face.

"You are going to be okay. I'll make sure of it." He promised.

"Can you give me a ride to training? I think I want to work out in the ring." I asked.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

I nodded. I turned his hand that was covering the left side of my face over, kissing his palm.

"Thank you, Phil." I said.

The moment my lips touched his palm, a surge of energy flowed through me, making my body shiver slightly in response. It was nothing like I had ever experienced. Judging by the look in his eyes, I knew Phil felt it too.

"Krissy." Phil whispered my name, leaning his head towards me.

"Don't." I whispered back. Phil stopped, looking at me.

"I want to, I just don't think I can handle it right now." I informed him.

Phil nodded, standing up and offered me his hand.

My cousin, Boomer, saw my face as I exited my bedroom.

"Kevin is a dead man if he's the cause." Boomer informed me.  
"Relax, I'll take care of this." Phil told him.  
"Neither of you are going to do anything. This is between me and Kevin. Next time I see him, I'm telling him it's over and that will be the end of that. Do you both understand me?" I asked.

They both nodded. Boomer gave me a hug, told me that I was doing the right thing. Boomer's six year old daughter, Casey, came pulling at my pants leg. I picked her up and she brushed the tears from my eyes.

"Don't cry, Aunt Kris." Casey whispered.

I kissed her cheek, thankful for her.

Kevin showed up at training, trying to apologize. I refused to listen to him.

"I can't take this anymore. I can't take your jealousy, your drinking, and your drug usage. You're not the same guy that I fell for, Kevin. You're someone completely different. I don't know you anymore. I don't want to know this guy. I want my Kevin back, not this version of you. I'm not going to watch you self destruct anymore. I want you to get help. And until you do, I don't want to see you anymore." I told him.  
"Kristina, I'm sorry…"  
"And I appreciate that, but I don't want to see you again. The guy I fell for would never have laid a hand on me. You need help. You need real, professional help. Please, go. I'm sorry, but this is it."

Kevin turned to leave when he saw Punk. The two began yelling back and forth at each other. Before anyone could break up the heated argument, Kevin went to punch Phil but Phil blocked it, throwing a punch of his own. The corner of Kevin's mouth started bleeding. He covered up his mouth and ran out of the room.

"Are you okay?" I asked Phil, grabbing the hand that he punched Kevin with.  
"That was a long time coming." Phil told me with a grin.

"Thank God! We were beginning to place bets as to when you were going to dump him. Are you alright?" Colt asked me.  
"A bit shaken up but I'm fine." I informed him.

That Saturday was training and a show in St. Paul. We had gone out to dinner after a SDW show to celebrate one of the guys getting engaged.

"I don't plan on ever getting married." Phil announced.

"Ever?" I asked.

He shook his head. "This gig life is hard enough than to worry about balancing a wife and kids. I just don't see that in my cards. It's just not for me, I think."

"Even if she's in wrestling and understands?" one of the wrestlers asked. Phil shook his head.

"It would take a very special woman to get me." Phil responded.

I snickered. "You talk all tough and all now, but I bet you're the next guy that gets married." I told him.

"Okay, you're on. $50 says I won't. Deal?" Phil extended his hand.

"Deal." I said with a smile.

We were all having fun until Kevin showed up wasted and demanded to know if Phil and I were sleeping together.

"Not that it's any of your business anymore but we're not." I informed him, standing my ground.

"Not my business? Not my business! Everything you do is my business! You're my girl, not Punk's! It's been almost two years!

People at the restaurant turned to watch.

"Kevin, we're in a public place. Keep your voice down." I stood up, trying to calm him down. But he continued his rant.

"I was there when you're mom died, not him. I helped you lose the weight you gained afterward and turned you into this wrestler that everyone is so damn proud of. And you're going to dump me aside for him?"

"You're being ridiculous! I didn't dump you for anyone. I ended things with us because it was the right thing for you. You need help that I can't give. Nothing is going on between me and Phil."

"You're such a liar. I know you're in love with him. And any idiot walking these halls knows he loves you too."

Kevin was in my face at this point, unwavering in his verbal attack. Chris stepped in.

"That's enough, Kevin. I think you need to leave." Chris stated, throwing a protective arm around me.

Chris and one of the other trainers, Danny, threw Kevin out of the establishment. I sat back down in my chair, speechless over what just transpired. Chris got down on the floor in front of me, pressing his forehead into mine.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said softly.

"I told you, we take care of our own. You've been one of us from day one. He never was. We got you." Chris told me.

I said my goodbye's right after that. About 2am, Colt knocked on my door with a pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream in his hand and two spoons. We sat on the floor next to my bed for hours, eating ice cream out of the carton, and watching movies. He let me cry on his shoulder, encouraging me to let it all out of my system. He told me that I was one of the strongest women he had ever met and everything would be okay; that I had made the right decision. Not once did we mention Phil's name.

"I love you, Scotty." I told him as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Kris." He said, kissing my forehead.

"I love moments like this with you." He told me.

I lifted my head up and studied his face for a moment.

"Everyone expects me to be Colt Cabana all the time. I can't be real with someone without cracking a joke first. It gets tiring at times. I love moments like this when I can just be Scott. Do you know what I mean?" he asked.

I patted his knee and put my head back on his shoulder.

"I do. You can be both with me. That's what best friends are for." I told him.

We stayed up talking until it was too late for him to drive safely back to Chicago. Uncle Jerry raised an eyebrow at seeing Colt asleep on the couch when he woke up.

"I didn't have Tamma last night. Colt's my other best friend." I said, shrugging. Uncle Jerry understood. I kissed his cheek and handed him his coffee mug.


	4. Chapter 4: The almost new beginning

After training, Phil stopped me in the parking lot.

"Are you sure about this? Are you ready for us?" He asked me sincerely.

"Yes I am. I'm tired of fighting with this whole Kevin situation. I don't love him. I don't want to have anything to do with him. I've grown exhausted fighting my feelings for you. I've wanted to put this behind me for so long. I want to be with you. If you'll have me." I said with a sly smile.

Phil stepped closer to me, locking his brown eyes with mine.

"I've just been waiting for you to say those words. So, dinner next week? What would you like to do?"

"Well, I'll have the house to myself. I was thinking of cooking."

"I'm intrigued. I'm in. Place to your self, huh?" He asked with a quick grin.

"Yep." I said with a nod.

I couldn't help it, I bit my lip. Phil's eyes were still locked on mine, but drifted slightly to my lips. Colt cleared his throat. Casey tugged on my pants. It took all of me to break from Phil's gaze.

"Can we go to get some ice cream?" she sweetly asked.

I couldn't help but smile at her innocent, tear stained face.

"See you Saturday, 8pm?" I suggested. Phil nodded, squeezing my hand. Colt slapped Phil on the back as they turned towards Colt's car.

I couldn't wait to get home to call Tamma.

"It's about time for you two. Colt and I both think so." She said.

"So, now you both are ganging up on me?" I asked.

"Kat, you've always taken care of everyone else before yourself. It's time that you do something that makes you happy. It's time to put your feelings out there. And yeah, I may not be Punk's biggest fan but I think you two could be happy."

I couldn't wait till Saturday. That morning, I kissed Uncle Jerry and Aunt Mary goodbye for their weekend excursion. I cleaned the house and got dinner ready. I had just gotten out of the shower when I saw an e-mail from Tamma wishing me good luck. I had just gotten the table set when Phil knocked on the door. He held up a beautiful bouquet of purple and white daises, which had one pink tulip and one red rose in it. It was perfect. I ushered him in and took the flowers, sniffing the sweet scent. He handed me a bottle that looked like wine till he showed me the label. I laughed.

"Sparkling grape juice?" I asked.

"Neither of us drink but I thought it was a nice touch." He stated.

We sat down and had a wonderful candlelit dinner. We took to the couch and watched an old movie. After the movie was over, I got up and started to clear the table.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Of course."

"It's about Kevin."

"I kind of figured."

"Why did it take you so long to get dump him?"

That wasn't the question I thought he was going to ask. I placed the plates in the sink then leaned against the wall.

"We've been together for almost two years. He really understood me and what I was going through when I lost my mom last year. That was the only time in my life I considered drinking. I wanted to so badly. I would have done anything at that point to just forget, even for five minutes. I wanted to ease that pain. Kevin kept me from doing something he knew I would never forgive myself for later. He was a great guy, back when he was sober. I did love him."

"I know you did. You wouldn't have tried so hard if you didn't."

"And when he changed, I guess I tried to make it right again. I wanted so desperately to recapture what we had. I wanted so badly to save him down the dark road he was beginning to travel. He told me once that I was the cause of it. He blamed me for his addictions. And there was a part of me that believed him. So I would just try harder."

Phil raised his hand up, stopping me.

"You didn't cause him to drink. You didn't make him eat pills. You didn't do this." He told me.

"I know but I still felt responsible. So I stayed. Somehow I figured, it was what I deserved."

"What you deserved? Let me tell you about what you deserve." He said, standing in front of me.

He looked deep into my eyes and I lowered my gaze, biting my lip. His fingertips grazed my chin, lifting my eyes again to meet his. Without saying a word, he bent his head and his lips met mine.

The palms of my hands pressed against the wall, helping me hold my place. My knees slightly buckled. His lips softly brushed against mine for a moment then pressed more urgently. It felt like fireworks were erupting in my body. My arms wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing me to him tightly. I moaned slightly, our kiss getting more passionate as the moments went on. My body began to shake from our intensity. I didn't want to break the kiss but I knew I needed to. He pressed his forehead to mine, both of us needing to catch our breath for a moment.

"I have wanted to do that since the moment I met you." He whispered.

"Me too." I told him, body still shaking slightly.

I kissed the corners of his mouth and met his lips again. It was more passionate this time. My hands dipped beneath his shirt at his shoulders, grazing him with my nails. This time he moaned a little. Every cell in my body was quivering with excitement at his touch. Phil whispered my name urgently against my lips. His left hand moved from my waist and grabbed a fist full of my hair, bending my neck to give him access.

"You still smell like cherry blossoms." Phil whispered into my skin, still kissing me.

He kissed and nibbled at my neck and earlobes. I could barely concentrate on anything but my need for him. Waves of desire were washing over me. I no longer wanted to contain my thoughts or feelings. My hands left his neck and began fumbling at his shirt, tugging it over his head. I lifted my arms up and my shirt joined his at our feet. He stepped back for a moment.

"You are so beautiful, Krissy." Then stepped to me again. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me to my bedroom.

An hour later, we laid in bed letting our breathing come back under control. I couldn't stifle a giggle. "Wow."

Phil brought his hand to my face, dragging my chin to him again. His brown eyes were twinkling.

"You are amazing." He said.

I blushed which made him laugh. "And modest." He said.

"Stop teasing."

"I'm not! I really think you are amazing. You are incredibly special, Kristina. And the things you can do with your hip…"

I hit him with a pillow, laughing.

"I'm just glad there isn't anyone in the house with us. I think we made the whole place shake." I said.

"I don't know about you, but I definitely felt the Earth move."

I giggled again, kissing him.

We spent the next few hours, really worshiping each other's bodies. I still couldn't get over that I had this amazing man in my arms, in my bed. Eventually, however, Phil got up and reached for his jeans.

"Leaving so soon?" I asked, partially teasing, partially afraid he was leaving.

"I told Kevin Quinn that I would help him out for a couple of hours. I'm sorry. When I told him I would help, I wasn't exactly planning on this." Phil said, apologetically.

I frowned. "Oh…"

"Hey, don't do that." Phil said, sitting back down on the bed.

"I didn't come over with expectations. You are a fantastic woman, Kristina. I have never been this crazy about any woman, ever. You stop me in my tracks. It's taking every part of me to leave you right now. I'll be back, I promise." Phil kissed a spot on my left shoulder.

"Don't be too long, P." I encouraged. I blissfully fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Destroyed

Hours later, I felt someone sit on my bed. I sleepily rolled over. "Phil…" I said, not opening my eyes.

Next thing I knew, I was crashing against the wall next to my bed, my head smashing against a mirror. My hand went to the back of my head reflexively. It was covered in blood. Groggily, I looked up to see Kevin standing over me.

"Phil?" He asked, kicking me in the stomach.

A rush of pain hit my ribs where the kick landed.

"I sneak back into the house to see you asleep, naked, and you thought I was Punk? You're a disgusting slut! You made me wait eight months before you would sleep with me and you just hopped into bed with him?"

Kevin grabbed me and shoved me again against the broken mirror. Blood began to trickle down to my shoulders.

"Kevin, please." I began to beg.

A right punch connected with my jaw. Pain rocked through my body, my knees buckling beneath me. Again Kevin kicked me in the ribs. I began to cough, trying to gather strength to fight him back.

"I loved you!" Kevin yelled. "_Of there's nothing going on between us! We're just friends_!" Kevin cried out, mocking my past words. "You're a disgusting liar. You're a liar and a slut."

"No, it wasn't like that." I tried to get the words out.

"_It wasn't like that_." He mocked again. "Don't lie to me! I know what I saw! I could see your shadows earlier."

Kevin picked up a shard of glass from the floor and cut into my skin on my right arm. Blood dripped down to the floor. He snatched my arm and pour whiskey into my open wound. I hollered in pain.

"Doesn't feel too good does it?" he asked.

My head bounced off my wall again. I could see my blood staining my carpet. I tried to shake the cobwebs out of my head. If I could just land a hit I may be able to get away…

Kevin picked me up and again threw me to a wall. I knocked into my night stand, shattering my lamp, and fell onto the floor. Next to me was my cell. I moved to where my body would block what I was doing and hit to call the last number I dialed. Phil's number.

"You're going to pay for what you did to me, you disgusting whore. I've been watching you and him for hours. I could hear you from the driveway, crying out his name. You're going to pay for leaving me. You're going to pay for sleeping with him. I'm going to make you wish you had taken me back. And in the process, I'm going to ruin you for your precious Punk."

I pushed my phone back to the shattered remains of my lamp so he couldn't see that it was on. Kevin grabbed me by the throat and shoved a handful of pills down my throat forcing me to swallow. I coughed and tried to throw it up but I couldn't. My body shuttered in response. He grabbed me by the throat again and tried to pour whiskey down my throat. I caught some of it in my mouth and spat it in his face.

As he wiped off the whiskey, I kicked him in the gut. He staggered backwards, swearing again. He reached for me again and I chopped him in the throat. I attempted to run out of the door but I began to get woozy. I fell to the floor, seeing fresh blood on the ground where I landed. The room was spinning. I had no idea where I was in relation to the door or where Kevin was. But I could hear him chuckle.

"Nice try." Kevin snatched me up and threw me on the bed.

"Wake up! Krissy open, open your eyes." I could hear someone beg. I was trying to answer but couldn't make any words. I tried to open my eyes but my eyelids felt so heavy. I couldn't move my limbs.

I barely managed to whisper "Phil…"

"There you are! Open your eyes, sweetheart. Please. Keep them open. Stay with me, do you hear me?" I could hear Phil plead with me.

Slowly I opened my eyes but the room was still spinning. "I…hurt…"

"Shhh…you don't have to talk. Just stay with me, you hear me? Keep your eyes open."

I could feel myself slipping backwards. It felt like I was free falling through the floor. I felt pressure on my chest.

"No, no. Don't you dare. You stay with me. Do you hear me? Open your eyes, Krissy. Open your eyes. Stay here with me." Phil pleaded again.

I was barely aware of the sheet wrapped around my body. I could hear voices down the hall.

"We're in here! Hurry! Stay with me. I'm not going to lose you. Not today. Stay with me." He kept begging me.

I wanted to ask him where else was I to go but I could feel that I was beginning to lose consciousness again.

I could hear the sound of a system beeping in a rhythm. My head was pounding. Slowly, I began to open my eyes.

"She's awake." I could hear my father say.

"Daddy?" I asked, apprehensively.

"Hey sweetheart." Dad said, soothingly.

"My head hurts. What happened?" I asked, still not coherent.

"You're in a hospital, baby. Your friend Phil found you. Kevin is in jail right now. The police are going to want to talk to you once you are stronger." Dad explained.

My brother walked over to stand next to Dad. "You gave us a scare there." Wayne said.

Tamma stood at the foot of my hospital bed. "Kat, you okay?"

It hurt to shake my head. "It's okay, take things slowly." She said.

I looked to my left and could see Colt in the back of the room, looking like he wanted to come over but didn't want to overwhelm me. I could see a bouquet of flowers on the stand next to him. Purple and white daises with a pink tulip and a red rose. I tried to smile.

Before I could say anything, Phil burst into the room, almost knocking Tamma over as he rushed to my side. "I am so sorry for not being there." He blurted out.

"Not your fault." I whispered, still hurt to talk.

A grey haired doctor parted the crowd of my family.

"Good to see you awake." The doctor told me.

Tamma and Wayne took a seat behind Dad. Dad and Phil didn't move. Doctor shined a light in my eyes, testing my pupil response.

"Good. Well I could say that you're one lucky lady. If your boyfriend hadn't found you when he did we may have lost you." The doctor told me. I looked over at Phil for the meaning of the doctor's words.

"I missed your call but I have it on my voicemail. The police now have it on record. Kevin is never going to hurt you again. I'm going to make sure of it." Phil told me, pressing his lips against my forehead.

My body gave an involuntary shiver.

"Kristina, my name is Dr. Hebert. You suffered three broken ribs and a contusion. We also had to pump your stomach. The rape kit is already being sent for tests." The doctor informed me.

Pump my stomach? Rape kit? I held up my hand, gingerly. "How bad?" I asked, barely able to construct a full sentence. My throat felt like it was on fire.

There was a slight hesitation.

"You had to be resuscitated on the scene. Your friend had to perform CPR on you to keep your heart beating. You technically died for one minute as we tried to get your bleeding under control." The doctor informed me.

"So I died twice." I said slowly.

"Once on the scene and another here at the hospital." Dr. Hebert clarified.

It started to come back to me. The attack rushed at me like a tidal wave. I began to remember it all. The kicks, the broken glass, the pills and the booze Kevin forced down my throat, what happened after he threw me on the bed…

"You need your rest." Dr. Hebert said.

Colt tried to give me a hug but I stopped him before he could touch me. I could see the hurt in his eyes as he left the room with Wayne and Tamma. Dad and Phil stayed behind.

"I'm not going to leave your side." Phil told me. Dad agreed.

They both stayed true to their words, even when the police came and I had to share my side of the story. I was in the hospital for three days then was released in the care of Uncle Jerry. Phil tried to put his arm around me as we left the hospital but I pulled away. He couldn't hide the shock and the hurt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just can't handle anyone touching me right now. It's not you. I am so sorry." I begged him to understand.

I could tell that he did understand but he just wanted to help me. I was a wreck. A newspaper printed the story and I nearly went ballistic. I didn't need anyone to know what had happened to me. I tried to be strong but I kept having flashbacks to that night. I stood up in court and informed the jury that it started out being one of the greatest nights of my life.

"I had finally found someone who I could really be myself with, connect with, and share my heart with. It was supposed to be the start of our relationship. It was supposed to be the beginning of us. And now that was the almost start.

Now I see shattered glass, blood splatters, and I can't stand for anyone, even someone that I love, to touch me. I was training to be a professional wrestler. I also made my living as a massage therapist. And I couldn't stand the thought of touching someone or having someone touch me.

My livelihood, my passions have been stripped from me. More happened to me that night than a contusion, broken ribs and shattered glass. I was broken. Sending Kevin to jail won't fix that but would stop him from hurting someone else." I explained to the jury.

Kevin was sentenced to 15 years in jail. He blew a kiss in my direction right after sentencing was past. I watched as he was placed back in handcuffs and escorted out of the court room. I closed my eyes, thankful that the nightmare was over. I prayed that it would be the last time I ever had to see Kevin's face.


	6. Chapter 6: Moving home

After the trial, I decided to move back to Charleston. I couldn't stand being in Minnesota. I couldn't take the sympathetic looks from my friends. Phil was trying to help but nothing worked. I returned home with Dad, Wayne, and Tamma.

I cried for a week when I arrived back to Charleston. My ribs were healed but I still felt like I needed to pick glass out of my hair. I couldn't stand for anyone to stand too close to me, much less touch me. Dad sent me to counseling to try to work out my fears.

I felt like I needed to go back to the beginning in order to heal. Phil must have called me 15 times a day but I wouldn't answer. I could hear the pain in his voice when he left messages, begging me to call him. I didn't know if I could put what Kevin did to me behind me. I decided the best thing for him was to move on from me. I hoped by me ignoring his pleas he would get over me. I felt broken and I couldn't ask him to wait for me to get better. I ignored communication from everyone other than my father, brother, and Tamma.

"Honey, your friend Colt is here." Dad told me one day.

Fear crept up in my eyes as I shook my head.

"I can't see him, Dad. Please." I pleaded.

"Honey, I don't think it's a good idea to cut everyone out like that. They are worried for you."

"I know they are trying to help, Dad, but I just can't. I can't do this. Not right now. Send Colt away with regrets please."

Slowly, after about six months, I started to feel like myself again. I finally reached the point where Dad could touch my arm without me feeling like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. Tamma was a huge help in the process of putting the pieces of me back together. Tamma would sit on the floor next to me with a pint of ice cream at least once a week. She was great at just sitting with me for hours. She would either let me talk or just sat with me in silence. She was better than therapy. We started meditating to help and I started teaching yoga at the gym.

"You miss him, don't you?" Tamma asked me one day.

"I don't feel complete without him." I responded.

"You know, Kat, it's not like you to just give up."

"Who says I'm giving up?"

"Please. Colt says you're not returning anyone's phone calls, not even his. He even flew down here but you refused to see him. What gives?"

I ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know, Tam."

"You're scared. I get it. What happened to you was terrible. No one blames you. Everyone is concerned about you. But you're not one to live in fear. And they aren't the ones that hurt you. He's in jail."

I thought about that for a moment. "You're right." I said, standing up and gave her a big hug. Tamma looked at me, smiling.

I started hitting the gym again, getting my body back in shape for the ring. Took me around a month but I felt ready.

"You're leaving again." Tamma stated bitterly as she watched me begin to pack up my stuff in my room.

"Tam, it's time for me to go back." I informed her.

"Can we focus on me for a moment here? What am I supposed to do with you gone again?"

"Why don't you come with me?" I asked her.

Tamma stared blankly at me for a minute, not blinking. "Are you serious?" she suddenly blurted out the question.

"Absolutely. Come with me. What, you thought I leased a two bedroom apartment in Chicago to house my Beauty and the Beast water globes?" I teased.

Tamma jumped up from her chair and threw her arms around me. "You're the best." she told me.

"I know." I said with a smile. "It'll be great. You'll get a job or school or something. Besides, I know that Colt would love having you around." I told her. Tamma's eyes shined as her smile grew bigger.

"Good luck." Dad said, kissing my cheek at the airport.

"Let's go get your guy." Tamma said with a smile.


	7. Chapter 7: Returning to Chicago

I didn't tell anyone I was returning. I wanted it to be a surprise. I moved into a two bedroom apartment in Chicago where I spent a few days getting the apartment set up and preparing myself to see everyone. I waited until everyone was in the ring working out to enter. I walked in with my purple gear bag over my shoulder, in yoga pants and a purple half shirt. Everyone stopped as I entered the room. Phil beamed at me then rolled out of the ring. I set my gear bag down and met him as he rushed towards me, throwing my arms around his neck. He put his arms around my waist, hugging me and swinging me around.

"Welcome home!" he greeted me.

"You're not mad at me?" I asked him, pulling away slightly.

"Mad at you?" he scoffed. "I'm so happy you're here."

We were pulled apart by Ace and a bevy of other wrestlers, waiting in turn to welcome me back. "I missed you guys too." I told them.

"So you're back? Not just a visit? You're back?" Colt asked me after training.

"Yep. Are we okay?" I asked him, touching his arm.

"Of course! Kris, I love you and am so glad you're home." He told me, giving me a hug.

"Hey, I finally moved into the city like you've been begging me. Got an apartment up on Spring St." I told him, releasing the hug.

Colt let out a whistle. "Fancy you." He teased, tossing me my towel from my gear bag.

I wiped the sweat off my brow and threw the towel around my neck. I walked over to Phil as he started to throw his gear in his bag.

"Hey, I'm sorry about everything." I began. Phil cut me off.

"There's no need to apologize. I'm just happy you're back." Then his face changed.

"I've got something to tell you." He started.

"You're seeing someone," I finished. He looked a little surprised.

"How…" he began but I cut him off.

"I didn't know. But when a sentence begins with I've got something to tell you, I figured it would be something along those lines."

"I'm sorry." He said kindly. This time it was my turn to cut him off.

"It's okay. It's not like I asked you to wait till I was all whole and healed. It's okay. We'll just be friends." I said, extending my hand out. Phil smiled and shook my hand. "Friends."

"Remember when I asked you what it was about Punk?" she asked me the day after she officially met all the wrestlers.

"Yeah, what about it?" I asked.

"I totally get what you mean now." she informed me.

"You're not helping." I glared at her. She laughed at me.

Tamma really took well to being outside of South Carolina. It wasn't long before she was volunteering at an animal shelter and talking about going back to school. I had a feeling the talk of going back to school was more of Colt's prodding than an actual desire but it made her happy.

It didn't surprise me or Phil that our two best friends began dating about a month after we got settled. Tamma and I have been best friends since high school and in the whole time I knew her, I had never seen her as happy as Colt made her. It also made me happy when she became friends with Phil which wasn't always easy.

"You're sarcastic. You think you're being funny when you're not. And you seriously need to learn how to dye your hair if you are going to try to pull that look off." She told Phil one time, much to my amusement.

"What do you mean, try?" he responded, shaking his hair at her.

Tamma and I were on the couch eating ice cream out of the container when Colt and Phil came over.

"You guys do own bowls." Phil pointed out.

"What's your point?" I asked him.

Colt had a surprise for us. He had gotten an offer to travel to England to train for two weeks. He surprised Tamma with two plane tickets.

"I figured, if you wanted to..." he barely got the words out when Tamma threw her arms around his neck.

"Did you know that our Jewish friend would be so smooth?" I asked Phil.

Phil looked just as amused as I was. "About time a little of me rubbed off on him." Phil teased. I elbowed him in the ribs.

I had been to several Ring of Honor shows with Phil and Colt but hadn't worked on one of the shows yet. I had gotten to know many of the wrestlers from working the IWA-Mid South shows. I warned Tamma though the first time she came with us to a Ring of Honor show to stay close to Colt. She looked at me funny and I told her that she will see what I meant.

There was a brother tag team, the Briscoes, in Ring of Honor. Mark and Jay were country boys from Delaware and I knew that Jay would try to hit on her. Jay reminded me the brother of Tamma's high school boyfriend. Jay had a good body, tattoos, and a very outspoken mind.

Phil and I walked in with our bags over our shoulder before Colt and Tamma. I wasn't sure if Tamma didn't heed my warning but I looked over and she was standing by herself momentarily. Sure enough, Jay makes a bee line over to her. I elbowed Phil, watching. Colt was by her side in an instant he noticed.

"Oh sorry, brother. Is she with you?" Jay asked.

"This is my girlfriend, Tamma." Colt introduced.

"Oh my bad. You got to be careful around here, brother man." Jay said before hopping back in the ring.

Tamma looked over at me with big eyes. Phil and I just laughed.

"Oh, them boys." Phil said.

"I warned you." I told her.

Being just Phil's friend was hard but I was able to manage. Phil's girlfriend was named Shannon and she was also a wrestler that went by the name Daffney. I was always able to get along with Shannon but it didn't make it any easier. I hit the road traveling to wrestling shows with Colt, Ace, and Phil. I started wrestling and refereeing as Kristina Kincaid, which was much easier to pronounce than Gause. It felt so good to be back amongst the wrestlers again. It felt like home. I had gotten the records of my attack sealed. I didn't want to be haunted by that memory anymore. I instead used it to push me harder, to train harder.

Phil and I started working out together which really didn't make Shannon happy but I didn't care. I loved our stolen time together, even if it just exercising. We would go on five mile runs several times a week. We made time every day to ride our bikes. Sometimes Colt and Tamma came with us. I still felt the connection between us just as strong as it was before I left. I couldn't ask him if he felt it too. I was trying to be his friend and stay respectful of his relationship with Shannon. I was really making the attempt to get to know her so I invited her and Phil over for dinner. Tamma and Colt joined in. Tamma would make faces behind Shannon's back that would make me try not to laugh as I was trying to have a conversation with Shannon.

I don't think there is any way to find someone who looks almost the complete opposite of me if you tried than Shannon. She was tall, super skinny, with dyed jet black hair, black eyeliner, makeup that purposely made her face look whiter, and ugly tattoos that covered random spots on her body. She also couldn't make up her mind if she wanted you to call her by her real name or her wrestling name. She was a nice girl but slightly crazy.

She also didn't like me traveling with the boys but her disapproval didn't seem to phase anyone else. She started to get jealous, much like Kevin had, of Phil's and my friendship.

"Look here, _Krissy_…" she began one conversation. I immediately cut her off.

"Only P can call me Krissy."

"His name isn't P. It's Punk."

"Actually, Daff, his name is Phil. But I can call him P."

She scoffed. "He doesn't even like that nickname!"

"Actually" he interjected. "I don't like when anyone else but her calls me P." he corrected. She stood looking at us, mouth agape.

"You should really close your mouth. You wouldn't want to swallow a fly." I said sarcastically.

She turned on her heels and walked away. "You really shouldn't do that, Krissy." Phil said to me.

"Yeah, P. I know. But it's kind of fun." I said with a smirk.


	8. Chapter 8: The Ring of Honor debut

I started working with Ring of Honor not long after that. We started a storyline where the Ring of Honor president, Cary, didn't want me wrestling due to the fact that I was a girl. He decided instead that I was going to be a referee.

Colt, Ace, and Punk had started a group called the Second City Saints which Daffney would manage them using the name Lucy. Just as before, the guys really took to me and would refer to me as "Punk's girl." I overheard a wrestler named Alex Shelly tell a friend of mine, Bryan Danielson, that he was going to ask me out.

Bryan responded, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. That's Punk's girl."

"No way, he's dating Lucy."

"Doesn't matter, Kristina is Punk's girl."

That didn't sit too well with Daffney. She broke it off with Punk shortly after that.

Occasionally, a hooded figure would interfere in their matches on their behalf. It would eventually be revealed that the hooded figure was me. Cary had enough with me interfering.

"You want a match, fine. I'll put you in a match. And if you win, you get a wrestling contract. If not, you will be a permanent edition to our referee roster."

"That's fine by me." I told Cary in front of the live crowd. "Who do you have for me?" I asked.

"Your match will be in two weeks, in Chicago." He told the Philadelphia crowd. "Against." He paused for effect. "Colt Cabana."

The crowd went nuts. Colt kicked the bottom rope. I simply smiled.

"It's okay. That won't be a problem." I said smugly.

"Oh, and Kristina. If he lays down for you, if there is cheating involved in any way, then every member of the Second City Saints will be fired from Ring of Honor."

Crowd cheered loudly.

"See you in two weeks." I said, tossing Cary back the microphone.

There were backstage segments taped for the Ring of Honor website. Punk stated that he was going to be in my corner because "she needs me more" he told Colt. Colt accused him of still being in love with me, to which Punk had no response.

"Is this why it didn't work with Lucy?" Colt asked him during the ROH livewire. Again, Punk shook his head.

"You're my best friend, Colt. That won't change regardless of whose corner I'm in."

"It just doesn't seem right." Colt said.

"Hey, we want Kristina to wrestle, right? To be in her rightful place by our side as an official member of the Second City Saints?"

"Of course."  
"You heard what Cary said. You two have to wrestle and you can't lay down for her. I'm going to second her out there because she needs me in the corner more. You don't need me to win."

I started to get nervous that Saturday morning leading up to the show. Phil gave me special gear similar to his for the match. I had a black halter top with the name "Kincaid" on the back in purple that showed off a bit of cleavage and my well toned stomach. I had black and purple shorts with the Pepsi logo down one side and the Second City Saints logo on the other leg. I felt ready, even though after the gym and yoga, I still had butterflies in my stomach. Colt and I sat in the back going over the match. We would be semi-main. That thought alone made me shake a little.

"Ever since you've been back, you've been a little different." Colt told me.

"How so?"

"You're fearless. Not that you were a scared little girl before. But it's in your attitude, in the way you carry yourself. I don't think it would matter to you who you were in the ring with. You're going to wrestle against me just as you would anyone else in that locker room."

I let out a deep sigh. "I don't have any doubt that the match would be good. I've only been training with you for a year now." I told Colt. "There's just a lot going on here."

Colt nudged me in the shoulder. "He still loves you. You know that, right?"

"I don't know that." I told him.

"You've got to be kidding."

"We've never actually said those words." I pointed out.

"You don't have to say it to feel it, Kris."

I shook my head. "He didn't wait for me."

"You didn't give him that much of a choice! You took off. You wouldn't respond to any of us. No phone calls, no texts. No e-mails."

I began to talk when he cut me off. "No, you need to hear this. It wasn't just Punk. We all love you. We're family, Kris. We take care of our own, we stick together. And when you needed us the most, you cut us out. Do you have any idea how much that hurt all of us? You're like a little sister to me. I flew to Charleston and you refused to see me. I've spent months praying that you would reach out to me. To Ace or Danny. Someone. I had to keep tabs on you through Tamma."

I lowered my head, ashamed. I never thought of what I would have put them through.

"Yes, he was going to move on. And he dated Traci and Daffney. But that doesn't mean he loves you any less than before that night."

"We had one night, Scott. And it was ripped away." I stated, getting very real with my words.

"And you're back now, better than ever. You guys have a second chance. Look, we've got to go out in a few minutes. Let that slip to the back of your mind and let's go out and have a kick ass match."

Putting it out of my mind was easy once we were standing at the curtain, wanting on Punk's music to hit. Phil tossed me one of his hoodies, which I quickly zipped up.

"Be safe. Good luck" he whispered in my ear as the opening beats to his music began.

I pulled the hood up over my head and walked through the curtain.

Colt and I shook hands in the center of the ring, keeping with Ring of Honor tradition. We had a few comedy spots in the beginning, with Colt refusing to lock up and being playful. I had finally had enough and gave him a running dropkick, sending him flying into the turnbuckle. That was the official start of the match.

We had the crowd eating out of the palms of our hands. Any time I would get a strike in, the crowd would react. Colt hit me with a clothesline, then felt bad as I laid on the mat. When he reached out his hand to help me up, I rolled him up in a pinning combination, getting a two count in the process. Punk was slapping the mat, rallying the fans behind me.

The second clothesline from Colt was stronger than before. I rolled out of the ring, regrouping on the floor with Punk. Punk had his arm around me as Colt hit the ropes and flew over the top rope, landing on both of us.

"Are you okay?" Colt whispered, as the three of us laid on the floor.

"That was pretty." I told him, patting his arm to let him know I was okay.

We had just made it back in the ring before the referee counted us out. We were in the center of the ring, on our knees, exchanging blows. The crowd was hot for everything we were doing. We had a thirty minute time limit, which the referee helped us keep tabs on so that way we could finish it just as we had planned.

"Twenty-eight minutes." Referee Todd Sinclair whispered to us.

Colt lifted me up on his shoulder and gave me his finisher, the Colt .45. Phil placed my foot on the bottom rope, alerting the ref.

"What are you doing?" Colt asked Phil, who rose his hand over his head, proclaiming innocence.

I climbed up to the top of a turnbuckle but Colt met me up there, attempting to suplex me down to the mat, but I managed to shove him off. I moonsaulted off the top rope, getting the three count. The place erupted.

Cary made his way to the ring, extending his hand to me.

"Told you I was one of the best around." I told him to the mic, shaking his hand.


	9. Chapter 9: Reunited

Punk was helping Cabana to his feet and the two men hugged. Punk slinked back to the ring post as Colt and I shook hands then hugged in the ring. Slowly I turned my attention towards him.

I knew in that moment, the way his brown eyes were shining at me, that what Colt said earlier was right. I took two steps towards him and he met me in the middle, swinging his arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and we kissed for the first time since that night. The crowd exploded with applause. We were so caught up in each other that we barely paid attention in anything else going around us. A loud "CM Punk" chant erupted. My face turned beet red as I slowly pulled away from him. We waved to the crowd. Phil held the ring ropes open for me and as soon as my feet touched the floor, he swung me up in his arms and carried me to the locker room.

We walked into the back to a chorus of cheers. As soon as Phil put me down, I hugged Colt tightly.

"In case I didn't tell you already, I love you bro." I told him.

"I know." Colt said with a mischievous grin.

"All I can say is that it's about time." Tamma said, grinning.

"Thanks for your support." I said with a laugh.

Phil rarely went to his home and if he did, it wasn't to sleep. We had spent every night together for a few months when the thought hit me.

"What would be your thoughts on moving in?" I asked him.

"Are you serious? If you're ready for that, I would love to."

"We should discuss this with Tamma as well. She is my roommate, she should have a say."

Phil and I were cuddling on the couch when Tamma came in.

"What?" she asked, studying our faces.

"Come sit with us. Want to talk to you about something." I said.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" she asked.

Phil shook his head. "It's nothing like that." He told her.

"It's just that we've been back together for about six months now and we've been talking about making some living arrangement changes." I told her.

"Oh God. You're not going to ask me to move out, are you?"

"No! No, um, I was going to ask your thoughts on Phil moving in."

"Oh." she stopped for a moment. "Moving in here. With us. Sharing your room."

"Yes, that's right." I confirmed.

"Yeah, sure thing." she said, taking an apple from the fruit bowl on the table.

"Wait, that's it?" I asked her.

"KK, he's practically living here already. Makes perfect sense to me." Tamma plopped down in the recliner, eating her apple.

"So you don't mind?" I asked her.

"Nope." she continued to eat her apple. "Just don't ask me to move boxes. We're not friends like that yet." she told Phil.


	10. Chapter 10: Wrestling on the Independent

Our time we had while we were working for Ring of Honor, I think I will always hold close to my heart. The matches, the friendships, the road stories are ones that I will never forget. Bryan Danielson taught me how to play guitar. We traveled all over the US and eventually received bookings for Australia and England. Ring of Honor was considered our home base. Ace closed SDW after he signed a contract with the WWE.

I had the chance to meet some of the greatest legends in wrestling. My favorite wrestler as a child was "Hot Rod" Rowdy Roddy Piper. It was a dream come true the day that Ring of Honor brought him in and Phil and I were guests on his interview show, Piper's Pit. After the show, he told me to consider myself adopted into his family and called me his baby girl. When I told my dad about it later that night, he joked that if he was going to lose me to another father figure, at least it was Piper. My brother was insanely jealous when I showed him the video later.

Phil would get booked for a company that was trying to compete with WWE, called Total Nonstop Action, or TNA for short. He would work for them until TNA decided that wrestlers had to be under contract for them and he couldn't work for ROH any longer. He became the head trainer for the ROH school. We contemplated moving to Philadelphia where ROH had the school but I talked him into staying in Chicago.

I began wrestling using the moniker "All Natural" Kristina Kincaid. I would perpetually steal the show every night, no matter who I was working with. I had a great series of matches with a girl named Sara Del Rey that was garnering a lot of attention. One of my favorite people to work with is an English wrestler named Saraya Knight. Another girl I went out of my way to work with a few times was Amazing Kong. We had some of the best hard hitting and technical matches. I typically hated wrestling girls, but those three I had a ball with. Phil and I wrestled each other twice in Ring of Honor, both times to sold out shows. I even had an hour long match that ended in a time limit draw with the biggest guy on the roster, Samoa Joe.

It was easy to be a crowd favorite but it was more fun being the heel.

"Not only am I better than you because I'm straight edge, I'm better than you because I'm all natural. I have the God given gift of natural talent and natural beauty." I gloated to the crowd. "I don't need makeup. I've never had plastic surgery. I've been blessed physically and mentally. I'm simply just better than you." I would boast to heat up the crowd's response.

Phil and I were great at getting the crowd angry. "You people here at (whatever town we were at) wish you could get a girl like Kristina on your arm. Athletic, smart, and a great pair of."

I would always cut him off. "Watch it." I would warn.

"Legs." he would finish with a smile.

We added Tamma to the Second City Saints, to accompany Colt in his matches. A lot of the times if I was at ringside with her, we wore similar outfits. She noticed one day as we were going over our game plan that I stated that she would valet for Colt.

"Why are you considered a manager and I'm a valet?" she asked me.

"It's all about the crowd's perspective. I'm a manager because I'm a wrestler. I can coach and interject myself into matches. You're there to serve as the occasional distraction and overall make Colt look good." I teased. She glared at me. "Oh, you're so cute." I said, teasing her again.


	11. Chapter 11: Romance

I came home from work one night to see thousands of candles scattered throughout the apartment. A bouquet of fresh flowers was at the center of the kitchen table. Soft music was playing from the stereo. My stomach growled due to the smell coming from the kitchen.

"Phil?" I asked, looking around.

Phil appeared with two wine glasses in his hand, all smiles.

"Sparkling grape juice? What is the occasion?" I asked, taking the glass he handed me.

"You are. Or rather, we are. Cheers."

I couldn't help but smile at him as we clinked our glasses together.

"What is all this?" I asked, looking around.

"This is our first night without Tamma. I want to make it special. Sweep my lady off her feet. How am I doing?" He asked, putting his arm around my waist.

"Terrific. You've outdone yourself." I told him, approvingly.

Phil ushered me to the kitchen table then brought out dinner plates.

"You cooked?" I asked him, shocked.

"I do know how." He said with a grin.

"Mushroom stuffed chicken? I'm impressed."

We had a terrific dinner then Phil took me by the hand and pulled me into the living room. We slow danced to the music playing. We held each other close, looking into each other's eyes.

"Can I tell you something without you saying something to kill this moment?" Phil asked.

"Ooh, makes me nervous when you ask a question like that." I told him.

Phil didn't say anything immediately. He looked deep in my eyes and brushed a stray hair back from my face.

"I love you." He said, softly and sincerely.

My breath was caught in my chest. We both knew how we felt about each other but hadn't actually spoken the words yet. This was the first time he had ever told me.

"I love you too, Phil."

"I hope you don't hold it against me that I haven't said those words before now. It's been true since the day I met you." He told me.

It was hard for me to tell him that I had known for a long time but decided against it.

"I could say the same thing. How about instead you just hold me against you?" I said with a teasing smile.

"Woman, you're going to be the death of me one day." He said, tracing my jaw line with his finger tips.

"Yeah, probably." I smiled.

When his lips met mine again, I could feel how deep his passions ran. His kiss alone was enough to make my heart skip a beat. I moaned as he started kissing and nibbling down my neck, running his tongue in the base of my throat. My head fell back, giving him further access.

Phil pulls the strap down on my tank top as my pulse quickens. I pushed his head back to lick the tattoo that he has behind his left ear.

I take a small step away from him and take off my top. Phil expertly removes my bra with one hand and cups the suddenly free breast with his other. Instantly, my nipples harden in response.

"Fuck, Krissy." Phil moans before taking my nipple into his mouth.

I wrap my leg around him in response, pulling him so that only what remained of our clothing was the only thing keeping us separated. I tug on his jeans, releasing his button and zipper. Phil scoops me up and carries me to our bedroom. The rest of our clothes are quickly discarded once he tosses me onto the bed.

My entire body is consumed with the fire burning for him as he slips a finger into me. I moan his name and raise my hips to him. Phil grins and picks up my foot, biting down on the big toe. I squirm under him in response. Slowly, he sinks himself into me, our bodies becoming connected.

Slowly at first, then picking up speed. Our bodies are covered in sweat as we are both being driven towards an intense orgasm, calling out for each other. Phil collasped in a heap next to me after he pulls out.

I curled up beside him, kissing his jaw line.

"I will say that no one can do romance like CM Punk." I told him.

Phil pulled away from me, sitting up.

"Who's been trying?"

I laughed and smacked him in the face with a pillow.


	12. Chapter 12: Samoa Joe

The Ring of Honor champion was Samoa Joe. He was the biggest guy on the roster and one of the best wrestlers the company had. Phil had wrestled him for the title but ended in a time limit draw after one hour. I led the charge with the Second City Saints to get a rematch but Joe refused.

"He couldn't beat me in the hour he had. What makes you think he should get a second chance?" Joe asked me.

"Because he can beat you. Joe, look at the average length of your title matches. Before you faced CM Punk, your longest match was 17 minutes. You two put on a wrestling clinic like no other. Yes, it took an hour. But in that hour, you couldn't beat him either." I pointed out.

"Hm…you do have a point there. Are you out here as his proxy?" Joe asked.

"I guess you could say that." I said, curiously.

"Then that settles it." Joe said, smiling.

"I'm not following."

"Kristina, say you're one of the best wrestlers on the roster. You wrestle like a man. I mean that in the best possible way. Let's test this theory. So why don't you and I have a match?" He asked.

The crowd cheered. I shook my head, backing up.

"What's wrong? Not so sure of yourself now?"

"No, that's not it."

"You've got a problem wrestling me? Let's make it simple. You and I will have a match. We'll put an hour on the clock. If you can last the hour or if you manage to beat me, Punk will get his rematch. If you fail, he doesn't get another shot while I'm champion. Does that sound fair?"

I looked at Samoa Joe, my voice unwavering with confidence.

"You know something? You're on." I extended my hand

The crowd cheered me on.

"This should be good." Joe said with a grin, shaking my hand.

"Don't for one second think this will be an easy match for you. I'm going to surprise a lot of people." I told him.

The day of the show, I was a little nervous.

"Are you ready, kid?" Ace asked me as I was stretching backstage.

"I guess so." I said, shaking out the nerves.

"You'll be fine." He told me, nonchalantly.

I always felt nervous before a match but normally the feeling went away as soon as my music hit. This time, I felt even more nervous.

"Stop. Breathe. Focus. Listen to Joe." Phil advised.

I took a deep breath and stepped through the curtain. There was a huge clock placed next to the curtain and also on the ring announcer's table, so the fans can see it no matter where they are in the building. Every member of the Second City Saints were banned from ringside. It would be just me and Joe out there.

The bell sounded, the clocks started ticking. Joe grinned as he attempted to lock up with me but I avoided him. I kicked him several times in the side, making him go down on one knee. As soon as he was down, I hit the ropes and gave him a shining wizard. He rocked back but didn't fall. I hit the ropes again and dropkicked him in the chest, finally sending him backwards. I sprung off the second rope and gave him a moonsault, for a one count by the referee.

"Good job." Joe whispered.

I kept one eye on the clock as I still attempted to wear him down. Joe and I wrestled smart, making sure that he doesn't get his hands on me too much so that the match does not look unbelievable. When Joe made a cover, I would either get to the ropes somehow or he would not put his all of his weight on top so that I could kick out believably.

The crowd was with us the entire time and we took them on a rollercoaster ride. The story that Joe and I were able to tell showed off how tough I was without making him look weak.

With five minutes left in the match, I had him down on the mat. I climbed up to the top of the turnbuckle, taking my time to do so. I attempted to hit my moonsault but Joe caught me. Joe held me across his chest and sent me crashing onto the mat.

Joe covered me but before the ref could count three, I put my foot on the bottom rope.

"No pin. Rope break." the ref instructed.

Joe stood up and leaned back into a turnbuckle. I pulled myself up by the ropes and ran at him, giving him a high knee. I grabbed his head and gave him a bulldog. The crowd was on its feet as I covered Joe. Just as the referee counted two, the time ran out on the match.

I covered my face in frustration. The crowd booed the time running out. I pulled myself up by the ropes as Punk slid in the ring, hugging me. Joe slowly made it to his feet. We shook hands in the center of the ring then he rolled out.

I leaned up against a wall in the locker room, catching my breath.

"That was amazing! Kudos." Colt said, excitedly.

"You did good, kid." Ace said, slapping my shoulder.

Joe handed me a towel. I sat down next to him, wiping the sweat off my face.

"Joe, thank you, man. You certainly didn't have to wrestle a girl for an hour." I told him.

"It was my pleasure. You're right. I didn't have to wrestle a girl for an hour. I did have to wrestle you. That was great."

"That was awesome, guys. Truly match of the year candidate." Phil told us.

"Try and top that." I said with a smile.


	13. Chapter 13: Time for the WWE

We would travel together all over for little to no money, not really caring. I stood at ringside for some pretty tremendous matches, would ref some really good matches and was involved in some pretty terrific matches. I think it was a combination of my series with Phil and my three favorite ladies plus the match with Joe that Jim Ross from WWE asked for a meeting with me.

"Before you go, I want to show you something." Phil told me right before I boarded my plane for my meeting with the WWE.

He rolled up his right sleeve and showed me a new tattoo he had just gotten. A lightening bolt.

"That's for me?" I asked, tracing the bolt with my fingers.

"No matter what happens today, tomorrow, or anytime in the future, I want you to know how big of impact you've had on me. Since the moment I met you, you've been my lightening bolt. Now even when you go on to bigger and better things, I'll get to carry you with me." He explained.

"P, I'm always going to be with you, no matter where in the world I am. But thank you."

My meeting with Jim Ross and Vince McMahon went incredibly well. I was offered a four year contract with the WWE. That meant that I would have to move out of Chicago and down to Louisville, KY for their training school.

After two years with Phil, we decided to split amicably. Phil didn't want to be in a long distance relationship and I didn't want to tie him down. I felt like deep in my heart that we were meant to be together and this time apart would eventually be nothing. I wasn't in Ohio Valley Wrestling for WWE developmental long before I was called up to the main roster on the second TV show, Smackdown. Vince McMahon wanted to change my name. He was really fond of the name Jasmine due to, in his words, "Brings up images of a delicate, sweet flower or scent."

He thought it was amusing to have some who looked sweet and innocent be this kick ass wrestler. I was in a room with Vince, Vince's children Shane and Stephanie, and Jim Ross trying to figure out my last name, or even if I would have one.

"How about Brooks for my name?" I suggested. Vince thought for a moment.

"Sure why not." He said in his gruff voice.

"Jasmine Brooks, welcome to Smackdown!" Stephanie announced.

I still kept in touch with Phil and everyone in Chicago. It didn't surprise me when Phil started dating again. Colt and Tamma often asked if I was going to. I told them I just haven't found anyone with that spark.

"Or a bolt of lightening." Colt often teased.


	14. Chapter 14

This is the end of the first part in the Kristina/CM Punk story. It continues into the next installment, "Lightning Strikes" Thank you!


End file.
